Cutting Room Floor
by talentedgemx
Summary: (Charity Dingle & Vanessa Woodfield) Vanity. So it's frustrating when you wanna know when might've happened when the director yelled cut, right? So what did happen after Charity kissed Vanessa for the first time in the Woolpack cellar? This is my take. There may be more of the bits we missed in order to better develop the Vanity relationship. Comments are very welcome :)
1. The Cellar Kiss

_So what did happen after Charity kissed Vanessa for that first time in the cellar? This is my take. Comments are more than welcome :)_

* * *

The moment hung there, floating in the air between them and Vanessa had absolutely no idea what to do with it. Her lips were parted and her breath hitched, her body as still and unmoving as the moment itself.

It must've only lasted a few seconds but the press of Charity's lips was so real, so unexpected and so undeniably _needed_ that it still felt like they were there. She was shocked, that much was true and a part of her thought she was imagining it and if she hadn't of been able to feel the heat of Charity's body next to her then she might've been able to convince herself that she was.

It was real, though, and Charity was real. She was _very_ real, wedged there next to her with her face still only a few inches away. Her breath was warm as it ghosted over Vanessa's lips, hovering there all soft and inviting as she waited to see what Vanessa would do.

Vanessa swallowed as she felt her chest do something surprising. As she felt her body react traitorously and her fingers itch to reach out and pull the other woman back again. It was disconcerting but so very, very tempting at the same time. She exhaled softly, and that was when she felt her body tremble.

Her eyes were still closed, still shielded by her mask that she was thankful for as she managed to feel as distant as she was present. Like she was hiding at a safe distance but still somehow very much in this unlikely but not entirely unwelcome moment. She exhaled again as Charity inched backward, as those unbelievably soft lips retreated and her index finger dropped away from her chin. In that split second Vanessa mourned the loss and she wanted those lips back, however ill-advised it may be but call it the alcohol (which she would later, repeatedly) but how long had it been since someone had kissed her like that? How long since anyone had come on to her, flirted with and charmed her, drawing her in with a soft voice and a finger to the underside of her chin?

Try never, that last one anyway and she really didn't care that it was Charity. In that moment she didn't care who she was, not at all because all she wanted was those soft lips back and the feeling of being wanted that was lurking there behind them.

Vanessa lifted her head just slightly, the semblance of a nod as she angled her head a little more toward the chair, her chest falling heavily as she released the breath she didn't even know she was holding and then those lips were back, pressing into her own with a little more intent but at the same time a little hesitant, as if they were just as bemused and unsure as hers were.

The hesitancy didn't last for long, however. As Charity pushed forwards her lips enveloped Vanessa's bottom one, pulling it in and tugging it back with her, Charity's throat making a possessive low sound that rumbled through Vanessa, turning her on with a jolt that landed right in the pit of her stomach.

It was her turn to move, then, and so Vanessa pushed all objection out of her mind and kissed Charity back, properly this time as she leaned her weight into her side, enjoying more than she could fathom the soft press of Charity's warm body against her own.

Charity's hand was at her neck in an instant, the one that had been hovering just under her chin and then Vanessa felt strong fingers dig into the underside of her jaw and into her neck just below her ear, pulling her that little bit closer as her thumb swiped gently across her cheek.

It happened so quickly, so suddenly that it was just as mind-numbing as the kiss itself; the hurried and incessant thud of Vanessa's heart that only grew heavier with each moment that passed. With each new kiss and movement of their lips she felt it deeply in the back of her throat, in her gut and in the side of her neck where Charity's third and little fingers were pushing into the column of her skin. It was intoxicating, really, and only amplified by the absurdity of it. Her body was lighting up with every new touch like a tsunami of arousal assaulting her from every direction, and Vanessa was helpless to stop it.

They moved together easily, Vanessa's chest making contact with Charity's first and then her hips as their bodies angled toward each other of their own accord and it was all Vanessa could do stop the movement completely. Her abdomen was getting dangerously close to rubbing up against Charity's hip but somehow, she managed to hold that back, for now. Instead she reached her left hand up and grabbed onto Charity's bicep, pulling her arm a touch closer as she felt Charity's mouth open and her head tilt in a way that meant this was only going to become more heated. _Much_ more heated and Vanessa moaned into Charity's mouth at the very idea of it.

Charity trailed her tongue across Vanessa's bottom lip causing Vanessa's nails to instantly dig into the material of Charity's blazer, penetrating almost through to her skin as another breath caught in Vanessa's throat, a deep exhale quick to follow as Vanessa felt it all the way down to her toes. The feeling thundering through her and all Vanessa wanted to do was chase it.

Charity revelled in it. The idea that this was _doing_ something to Vanessa and that she was teetering on the edge of being lost to it. Charity wanted to grin at it, to bask in the knowledge that she was _still_ capable of this, of seducing someone to such an extent with the power of her words and charm and good looks. It had been a while, after all, and an even longer while since she had kissed someone without any apparent gain. Other than thinking it would be an interesting idea.

What was even more appealing though, Charity suddenly felt as Vanessa clung to her and she moaned breathily over her lips as Charity's tongue retreated a little, was that it had been an absolute lifetime since someone had kissed and responded to her so honestly and genuinely, as clearly Vanessa had no apparent gain from this either. In that moment Charity wished she hadn't covered Vanessa's eyes with her mask, regardless of how great a move it was because now she couldn't flick her gaze up and gauge what the other woman was thinking. All she had was the quick hitch of Vanessa's chest, the low hum developing in the back of her throat and the impatient way her fingers were curling in her blazer as if she wanted her closer. As if she wanted Charity's lips on hers again. Like maybe she wanted her for no other reason than just wanting her.

Actually Charity was very glad she couldn't see Vanessa's eyes.

It was a good felling though. Great even, and one Charity had forgotten all about. It was just a kiss though, she thought as she paused once again. Her eyes fixing on Vanessa's lips. Just a kiss.

Charity slid her hand around to the back of Vanessa's neck, moving it up and into her hair line so her fingers could find greater purchase just as Vanessa's hand dropped from Charity's bicep, sliding under her arm and up onto her shoulder blade. Both of them pulling simultaneously as they met each other half way in a hurried mess of lips and tongues and a barrage of sensations neither wanted to think about.

Vanessa couldn't remember feeling anything like it, not so quickly and this certainly wasn't the first drunken make out session she'd had. Not even in the least but it was definitely the first time she'd felt anything close to the sudden heat that was engulfing her entire body from the inside out. It was so rapid her head would be cloudy even without the whiskey but there was no doubt about the fire that was sparking within her. No doubt about the way her heart rattled her ribcage and how she just couldn't stop the groans that were forming as Charity did marvellous things with her tongue.

It was lust inducing, and Vanessa couldn't pull Charity any closer if she tried. Their bodies were firmly together, neatly in the middle of the love seat with Charity angled a little over Vanessa with her hand getting even more lost in her hair. Her fingertips every now and then digging into Vanessa's scalp causing Vanessa to push her head back a little to spur them on, the pressure at the base of her skull so good it made her eyes roll back in her head.

Charity's body felt amazing against hers, so firm and soft which could also be said for her hands as well as her lips. And her tongue. She was warm and pliant and when Vanessa moved, so did she. Only small adjustments like Vanessa's hand to Charity's lower back and then to her hip, just as Charity's dropped from Vanessa's hair to her shoulder to just over her ribs. It made Vanessa shiver, a sensation that shot along and up her entire side making her want to feel Charity's touch more.

Her hand wasn't there for long, though, as Charity's fingers seemed to be just as restless as her tongue. They rubbed into Vanessa's ribs and over her side for a good few moments, mapping out the contours there before her thumb inched upward and caused her whole hand to stall for a second or two, before carrying on down to her hip. Vanessa groaned as Charity pressed closer, prompting her hand that had pulled on Charity's hip in encouragement to move up to Charity's jaw, holding her exactly where she wanted her and the moan that Charity released in response was like striking a bass line right to her core.

It reverberated, spreading outward through her body in a ripple effect and it was damn near the most erotic thing Vanessa could remember experiencing. It made her body jump and she prayed to God Charity hadn't felt it.

They came apart briefly; to gasp in some much needed air before one of them would re-tilt their head and go in for another kiss. Both of them far too starved of this kind of attention to want to stop and seeing as they were locked in, why the hell not?

Charity had no idea where any of this had come from. None at all, just that she felt like it would be a good idea at the time and she supposed it was a way to mess with the woman who thought she could drunkenly call Charity Dingle out on all of her shit. The thing was, though, that her initial kiss was a hell of a lot softer than she'd planned and Vanessa had been so much more receptive than she'd expected. She was honestly expecting a slap or a shove, an outraged rebuff at the very least but instead what she had, was _this_ , and the kicker was that Charity actually _liked_ it.

Very much so, in fact, and she welcomed Vanessa's curiosity because she was curious too. About what exactly she didn't know but what she did know was that she wanted it to last for as long as possible. It was spontaneous with no agenda behind it, and nothing was quite as important to Charity right then, as that.

She could tell how much Vanessa was enjoying it, that was wholly obvious but it was lighting _her_ up too. It was all lighting her up and making her feel things in places she really wasn't expecting to. Not whilst kissing Vanessa Woodfield and that was a whole new development entirely but Charity couldn't deny it (she'd save that for later). Her heart was beating faster than it had done in years, thick behind her ears and deep beneath her skin. It practically pulsed there, tugging at something Charity would rather stay buried and she only felt it deeper with every flick of Vanessa's tongue against her own. Every time Vanessa's hand wandered and her fingers pulled at Charity she couldn't stop her reaction and she only wanted more.

Especially the way Vanessa moaned. That Charity felt reverberate down her spine and settle somewhere deep in her gut and a part of her wanted so much more than this and perhaps with anyone else Charity would. She'd push it to see just how far she could go but something stopped her, just as her hand was poised to round the curve of Vanessa's hip and let it wander further. Charity stopped and brought her hand back up and into Vanessa's hair.

This was more than enough for the moment and surprisingly, as she was finding out the longer this went on that Vanessa was an incredible kisser. The best in recent history, as far as she could remember and it made Charity raise her brow a little. She was turned on beyond belief, and only getting more so with each moment that ticked by. She was starting to feel a yearning that only wanted more and it was quickly making her clothes become more and more uncomfortable the hotter she became.

Charity didn't often feel like this and she was actually thankful for the dodgy lock on the door. As protected as Vanessa felt with her eyes concealed Charity felt just as hidden and secure by the knowledge of that lock. They were secluded away, tucked cosily into this armchair away from prying eyes and judgement. Charity didn't have to feel as guarded as she did when she was surrounded by people. People with their opinions and reprimanding expressions, waiting for her to mess up and see who could come out with the most biting remark. No one knew where they were here and down here, Charity held all the power. Vanessa wasn't about to yell out and draw attention to them and by all accounts she was more than content to stay glued to Charity's side, busy as she was stealing the air from Charity's lungs and amazingly, Charity was _more_ than happy to let her.

She was very happy, in fact, and she was beginning to groan just as heavily in Vanessa's mouth as she was into hers.

The sensations though quickly became too much. Too much for anyone to keep up without parting properly for air and an ounce of composure, regardless of how much whiskey had been consumed. They were pulling at each other fervently, their chests moving too hurriedly for the space beneath their clothes and neither of them, really, could justify where it might go.

That respectful voice in Charity's head reminded her that Vanessa was much more drunk than she was and for some inexplicable reason that she didn't want to analyse, she cared about Vanessa's wellbeing and didn't want her to regret it. A kiss maybe, but not sex. Not because of alcohol. So Charity broke the kiss and tried to push that caring thought right out of her head as Vanessa rested her hand against Charity's shoulder, not pushing her away but keeping her in place instead.

Vanessa sucked in several breaths and then pulled the mask down from her face, letting it drop to her chest and the bewildered expression that painted her face would be comical, if only she could see it.

She was making out with Charity Dingle.

After a moment or so of silence Charity chuckled a little, the natural raspy note in her tone even deeper now and Vanessa was horrified to realise how it sent a shudder right through her.

"Well you're just full or surprises, aren't you?" Charity uttered, the husk in her voice only serving to turn Vanessa on all the more more and she was hard pressed not to just kiss her again to shut her up.

Vanessa's eyes flicked to Charity's and it flashed through her mind like lightning. What exactly should she be full of? Anger, shock, regret? Should she be outraged that Charity had kissed her? Or outraged at herself for kissing her back?

At the lack of any answer Charity suddenly became thirsty so she straightened up a little and reached over the back of the chair to grab the whiskey bottle, turning so she was less on her side and more able to swig the liquid down.

Vanessa just watched her, still stuck on her same thought. She wasn't full of anything like it, just overwhelmed with arousal the likes of which she hadn't felt in _forever_ and she wasn't about to lose sight of it now, even if Charity was the one sparking it. She could blame the alcohol, right? The alcohol was making her attracted to Charity. The alcohol was making Vanessa want to kiss her again, even though she wasn't the one drinking it right then. It was the late hour, the grief, the being locked in a cellar and stuck in a comfy chair with a hot blonde whose body was still warm and firm and pressed against her side.

It was because she was good with her tongue and Vanessa didn't want to stop kissing her. Charity was acting like she _wanted_ her and that really, was the most seductive thing of all.

Charity chugged back another mouthful and banged the bottle down on the table, gasping as if the whiskey was the first mouthful to hit the back of her drink-shy throat. She missed the taste of Vanessa then. The things she did with her tongue and it made a slight furrow appear between her eyebrows. She wondered, briefly, when she'd ever wanted to kiss somebody so much and then her head then hit the back of the chair as if to knock any further thought right out of it.

Charity rolled her head little to the side so she was looking across at Vanessa, those eyes now a deeper and fuller green than Vanessa had ever seen them and it made her think then, when she had first noticed the colour of Charity's eyes.

Charity blinked and then grinned, her nonchalance quick to return as her brows raised as if she was about to say something, but Vanessa leaned across the tiny space that had opened up between them and placed her hand back on the curve of Charity's jaw, tilting her face up a little as she moved in closer.

"Don't ruin it," Vanessa whispered, before she closed her eyes and kissed her again.


	2. The Hangover Cure

"You know... the best thing for a hangover cure?" Charity asked in a breathy whisper, slipping into the space next to Vanessa on the sofa.

"No," Vanessa replied curtly, frozen where she sat with Charity once again being this close to her.

Charity pulled Vanessa closer and dropped a chaste, gentle kiss to the other woman's lips. Charity knew _exactly_ what she was doing and made sure that the sultry expression didn't leave her face. She pulled back and tilted her head forwards just a little, capturing Vanessa's eyes with her own.

"Do you wanna go upstairs and find out?"

Vanessa swallowed heavily as her heart starting beating out her chest. She didn't know what she was doing and the furrow across her brow screamed it but what she _did_ know, was that she _so_ wanted to go upstairs so she nodded, definitively, and then Charity lead her off the sofa toward them.

* * *

Vanessa didn't really know what to expect. It had been a quiet walk up the stairs, the air so thick with tension it was hard to breathe. Walking into Charity's bedroom only served to heighten the intensity, Charity quietly closing the door behind them before she turned to the bedside table just to her left, switching on the small lamp with a loud 'click' while Vanessa stood motionless in the space between the wardrobe and the bed.

Vanessa was facing Charity, watching her closely with a definite furrow in her brow, her chest rising and falling already quite rapidly and then Charity took a step toward her, her shoulders back and that lofty air about her that was normally annoyingly superior but right then was nothing but attractive as hell.

Charity tilted her head in that way that she did, a brief flash of her eyes as she kept them angled toward the floor and when she spoke she kept her voice as low and seductive as she could. "Wasn't sure if you were a lights on or lights off kinda girl, babe," she said as a playful smirk stretched across her lips.

Vanessa was getting more and more convinced since last night that Charity could make anything sound sexy. It seemed effortless, really, and it made a dryness coat the inside of her throat that she simply couldn't quench.

"Personally I'm a lights on girl," Charity continued as she took another step closer, knowing full well that Vanessa was now completely enraptured by her. She was in _her_ domain now, and Charity was an expert at commanding it. She bit on her bottom lip and shrugged her shoulder a little. "For the first time anyway."

Vanessa was in arms reach now and Charity flicked her eyes over her body, more desperate than she'd ever admit to know what lay beneath those clothes. More desperate still to know the taste of her skin. "But for you I thought I'd leave it half and half," Charity teased as she glanced up at the dim illumination the lamp offered. "You know..." she husked as her fingers came to rest on the zip of Vanessa's body warmer, starting to lower it tooth by tooth. "Until you know what you want."

The tingling heat between Vanessa's legs quickly became a throb, her mind going lucid as her eyes fell closed with the proximity of Charity's body. It was ridiculous, how Charity had done this to her. Going from arguing viscously downstairs in the bar yesterday to well... _this_. Being more turned on in a matter of minutes than she had been in her entire life.

Charity came closer still, right into her personal space as the zipper reached the bottom of her coat and as Vanessa's eyes trailed up Charity's body, she found herself a little intoxicated with the height of Charity standing over her, looking down at the zip with the tip of her tongue poised between her teeth, her ruffled hair dropping forwards over her shoulders and all Vanessa wanted to do was lean into her presence and let her do whatever the hell she wanted to her.

"I know what I want," Vanessa heard herself say, her words all breathy and her heart doing somersaults much like it did last night, in the love seat, when Charity's hands were on her and her tongue was in her mouth. Only now it was thumping hotly with anticipation, with the knowledge that those hands would be rid of clothing and barriers this time, and her tongue could do all those things but in other places. Better places, and all it would take was a nod.

Vanessa swallowed and it made her body shudder.

"Yeah?" Charity asked, and Vanessa nodded far too quickly.

Charity pushed the body warmer from Vanessa's shoulders and it hit the floor with a gentle 'thunk'. "Tell me what you want, babe," Charity whispered, and Vanessa could feel the breath ghosting across her lips.

There was almost no space between them at all and Charity's hands hovered over Vanessa's sides, her face still angled down toward Vanessa's cheek and the sheer proximity of the other woman was almost tipping Vanessa over the edge. She ran her tongue over her top lip as her hands reached out and grabbed the front of Charity's black shirt, her fingers clenching the baggy material between them and giving it a gentle tug.

"You," Vanessa sighed as her chest pushed out a heated breath, as if either of them was ever in any doubt as to why they were there and that was all it took for Charity to lean down and capture Vanessa's lips in a searing, maddening kiss.

* * *

It was better than the night before; so much more familiar and without the haze of alcohol making everything seem that much more heightened. Clearer, even, their senses firing so much more vividly and the delicious slide of their tongues a little frenzied as if both of them had missed the feeling of it.

Charity's hand cupped the back of Vanessa's neck and she held onto her with a strong grip, Vanessa's fingers still balled in Charity's shirt having now pulled her body tightly against her own.

It had only been a moment after their lips met that the moans began. All low and breathy and desperate as their hips pressed together, unconsciously letting the other know what they both wanted. What they both _needed_. Charity turned Vanessa and inched her against the bed, the backs of her knees brushing against the duvet as the kiss became deeper and more demanding. Charity's hands trailed down Vanessa's sides, purposefully slowing a little over her ribs so she could tease her thumbs just along the curve of her breasts.

It had the desired effect as Vanessa gasped into Charity's mouth, Charity then dropping her hands to the hem of Vanessa's blue jumper, tangling her fingers in it to make her intentions clear. When Vanessa only kissed her harder, her hands letting go of Charity's shirt as to accommodate what was coming Charity swiftly pulled the jumper up and over Vanessa's head, tossing it over her shoulder as Vanessa heaved in a few breaths, Charity momentarily distracted by the movement of her chest before Vanessa grabbed her shirt again and pulled her in once more.

Vanessa had only swiped her tongue across Charity's lower lip before she lowered the zip at the top of Charity's shirt, her fingers meeting over the exposed skin of her chest and then pulling the zipper down slowly. The kiss broke as Vanessa dropped her hands to Charity's hips, their foreheads not quite touching but close enough as their lips hovered just centimetres apart. Vanessa pulled Charity's shirt out of her jeans and if she wasn't mistaken the taller woman's chest hitched just a little, before Vanessa pushed the material up her body.

It was odd, for Charity, but only in the best way possible. Her body was on fire and her shirt wasn't even fully off yet. She couldn't remember a kiss being so sensual before and Charity had seduced a _lot_ of people. She wasn't sure why this was so different but it was, and all Charity wanted was more of it, consequences be damned.

Maybe it was because she wasn't used to a body so soft, lips so supple and hands so curious yet respectful at the same time. It had been so long since Charity had been with a gentle lover and it was all of sudden as if her body craved it. Vanessa was going to rely on her here, trust her with this experience and Charity was surprised Vanessa was allowing it but the things she was feeling as a result were something she genuinely needed, and she wasn't about to back away from it now. Even if she might regret whatever connection might form down the line. If there was one thing Charity was good at after all it was putting her feelings in a box and locking them away never to be dealt with again.

Vanessa pulled Charity's shirt over her head and dropped it to the floor at her side, another flash of desire flaring in Charity's eyes and then she gathered Vanessa in her arms, her head dipping instantly so she could press her lips to the side of Vanessa's neck.

All of a sudden it was a little rougher than before, a little more rushed as Charity's lips devoured Vanessa's neck and Vanessa couldn't help but gasp out loud at the sensation. Her head leaned to the side as her eyes fell closed, her hands circling Charity's shoulders before her fingertips dug into the soft, delicate skin of her back. Charity lightly bit her skin in response and the moan Vanessa released was practically indecent.

It had been a long time since Charity had felt another woman's skin against hers like this. An almost forgotten time but her body screamed to remember, as if it had finally sated a yearning she didn't even know she had.

Vanessa's skin tasted so good that Charity couldn't stop exploring it. She'd learned the night before of all the weak spots along the column of her neck, the places that would strike a chord deep within her and so she wasted no time in probing them incessantly with her tongue. She could feel it every time Vanessa laboured over a breath, each small gasp and body shudder that reverberated through Vanessa's skin and her heartbeat, well, Charity could almost feel that as well as she felt her own.

She tilted Vanessa's chin up with her forefinger firmly beneath the hinge of her jaw and thumb directly beneath her chin, lifting it right up so she could trail the tip of her tongue from the dip between Vanessa's collarbones, to just above the thin layer of skin over her pulse point where she then sucked, _hard_ , and Vanessa near melted where she stood.

Vanessa ran her nails down Charity's back in an instant reaction and it made Charity growl, almost, as a shudder erupted down her spine and then all of a sudden Charity was hungry. She released Vanessa's skin with a loud pop as a fire danced behind her eyes and then she kissed her again hurriedly, all tongue and lips and Vanessa was more than happy to reciprocate. She felt like she was putty in Charity's hands but she didn't care, completely and utterly ready to go wherever Charity wanted to take her.

Charity moaned into Vanessa's mouth as her hands dropped to her hips, her thumbs pressing into Vanessa's sides just above her hipbones and it made the shorter woman jerk, the sensation rolling through her like an explosion.

Vanessa's body was strong and taught beneath Charity's hands, a tightly wound coil that Charity desperately wanted to release and she absolutely couldn't wait to see Vanessa bend beneath her as she made her come. She moved her hands to the button on Vanessa's jeans, her fingertips dipping below the waistline as she tugged at the material a little, another chance for Vanessa to slow things down if she needed too.

All Vanessa did though was kiss her harder, her hands moving from Charity's back and grabbing at the sides of her jaw, pulling her closer as her hips, if Charity wasn't mistaken, bucked forwards and collided hers.

It made a smirk appear across Charity's lips and so she popped the button and lowered the zip, her heartbeat stepping up a gear when she felt the warmth of Vanessa's skin beneath her jeans.

As soon as Charity started to push the material down Vanessa felt the rush everywhere. She grunted into Charity's mouth and her hands dropped to those broad shoulders, gripping them intensely as Charity then broke the kiss, leaning down a bit so she could leverage the jeans down and around Vanessa's thighs.

They paused for a moment, Vanessa suddenly attempting to reign in what she was feeling but it really wasn't working, her right hand smoothing down Charity's arm and she was just about to ask what was wrong when she noticed the smug little grin adoring those kiss swollen lips.

Vanessa pulled in a breath and swallowed, her skin alive with _want_ and then Charity gave her a small shove causing her to fall backwards onto the bed, her jeans still clinging to her thighs and her legs dangling off the edge.

Charity still wore that smug expression, all cocky and sexy and irresistible at once and then she stood between Vanessa's legs, her teeth tugging at her bottom lip as she painstakingly dragged her eyes down Vanessa's body, appreciating perhaps for the first time just how goddamn beautiful she really was.

It was a very thirsty, lust fuelled look and Vanessa couldn't help but feel emboldened by it, really, especially when Charity's eyes darkened even further. It was definitely a thing, Vanessa now knew; how confident, suave and sexy as hell Charity Dingle with her make-out tousled hair, standing over her half dressed and looking at her like she wanted to fuck her till next Tuesday could make Vanessa's whole world turn to liquid and pool between her legs.

It was as if Charity knew it too, and it would have been annoying if it wasn't so God damn _good_ as well so Vanessa grinned, trying for wicked but not quite sure if she achieved it but then Charity reached for her jeans, pulled them from her legs with a couple of short, sharp, heavy tugs and any further coherent thought immediately migrated south, along with the rest of Vanessa's world.

Charity tossed the jeans and was quickly back between Vanessa's legs, her chin gesturing to the side and toward the headboard. "Scooch up, babe," she said softly, and then she started to undo her own jeans, too.

The only thing Vanessa could do was blink a few times, nod and then shuffle rather ungraciously toward the pillows at the top of the bed, her eyes now wide as she watched Charity take her jeans off.

Vanessa couldn't gauge how fast her heart was beating, rattling her ribcage as it was nor how much her nerve endings were firing beneath her skin. In that moment she wanted Charity on top of her more than she wanted anything else and as soon she was stood in front of her at the foot of the bed, in nothing but her black underwear Vanessa knew she was done for. Charity was breathtaking, utterly and completely and it was mind-blowing because two days ago Vanessa would've probably said she hated her, but now all she could think about was how good Charity was with her tongue and if she didn't touch her soon Vanessa felt like she might explode.

"So, babe," Charity began as she got onto all fours on the bed and crawled her way up to Vanessa's body, slowing and lowering herself over her when she was close enough. Charity briefly flicked her eyes to the lamp and then back again. "Lights on or off?" She halted her movement as she got to Vanessa's hips and dropped a chaste kiss to the bone there, the one protruding out just above the line of her underwear. "Last chance to decide."

Vanessa was stretched out fully on the bed, her body still tense and now flat to the mattress and pillows. Her eyes were closed and her voice was somewhere lost in her throat. "Uhmmm," she gasped as Charity kissed her hip again causing Vanessa's heart to lurch clear out of her chest. "I uhmm," she breathed heavily, "I really don't mind."

"Right then," Charity chuckled, her lips trailing a path across Vanessa's abdomen and coming to a stop just below her belly button, sucking the skin into her mouth lightly before releasing it. "On it is then," she husked, and Vanessa felt the vibrations of her words all the way through to her gut.

The arch of Vanessa's back was automatic, the same way her head tilted back into the pillows as she exhaled a very desperate, indecent breath, Charity's lips against her skin almost euphoric. As Charity moved higher she lowered more of her body onto Vanessa's so when her lips reached the top of her ribs, her whole side was pressed against the other woman's skin.

Vanessa revelled in it and couldn't get over how amazing the soft press of another woman's body felt against her own and when Charity's leg fell between hers well, it was the kind of contact she had longed for well before their drunken kiss in the cellar the night before. It made Vanessa spread her legs a little wider and if Charity didn't know how wet she was before, she certainly did then.

The moan Vanessa released shot along Charity's spine and it made her pause for a moment, that and the slick she suddenly felt cover her thigh. It made her jaw drop open a little, not only knowing but _feeling_ how much Vanessa wanted this. Wanted _her_. She couldn't remember the last time she felt anything like it and that fact was assaulting Charity as much as anything else.

She groaned a little as she gathered herself and placed a kiss at the centre of Vanessa's chest, her left hand sliding up Vanessa's side and over her material-covered breast, giving it a squeeze as she tilted her head up at the woman who was desperately trying to stop herself from writhing uncontrollably beneath her.

Charity's hand moved under Vanessa's arm and her fingers dug into the lower side of her shoulder blade. "Lift up a bit," she whispered, Vanessa's eyes opening to meet hers and they were practically black with lust.

Vanessa did as she was told but grabbed onto Charity's face, holding herself up and kissing her as if her life depended on it. Charity kissed her back just as hard, just as fiercely as her hand slid around Vanessa's back and flicked open her bra, pulling the strap down her arm as Vanessa's hips rocked up and pushed harder into her leg.

The bra came off in an instant and then they were kissing again, Vanessa not letting go of Charity's face for love nor money and Charity pulling Vanessa to her with a hand pressed to her back, remembering with vivid clarity how much she loved a woman's curves rolling against hers. She held Vanessa close as her tongue devoured her mouth, Vanessa making all the right noises as they moved together fervently, their hips starting to grind together unabashedly. It was delicious, really, and so much better than with Zoe, Charity remembered but then she pushed that thought right back out of her mind.

She felt Vanessa's hands slide around to her back and urgently unhook her bra, yanking at it a little shakily until Charity let her go for a moment so she could remove it and fling it across the room, along with the rest of their clothes.

Vanessa was still on her back, Charity now leaning over her, propped up on her right elbow and her left hand against the mattress on the other side of Vanessa's body. Charity stopped at first, wondering why Vanessa wasn't grabbing for her but then she realised as Vanessa licked her lips and couldn't divert her eyes away from Charity's chest. She had to remind herself that this was Vanessa's first time and made a point that she'd likely have to remind herself of that a few more times during the night. It was cute though, the way Vanessa was mesmerised, kind of like how she was during her first time with a woman way back when, although Charity was pretty sure she wasn't quite so obvious about it.

Charity grinned and inched herself a little further up the bed so the objects of Vanessa's attention were more directly in her eye line. "Go on then," Charity urged, the gravel in her voice increasing tenfold. Her eyes drifted shut as she tried not to get too carried away with wanting Vanessa to kiss her somewhere below her neck. She knew it would be good and her insides clenched at the prospect of it. "You know you want to," Charity breathed and she could feel her restraint ebbing away.

Vanessa didn't need telling twice and with a confidence that surprised Charity, she reached up and closed her lips around one of Charity's nipples, sucking it slowly once and then twice as her hand came up to cup and tease the other.

This time Charity's groan was guttural as warmth flooded through her, pooling in the centre of her chest and then cascading down her body. Her skin flushed and her hips rocked down heavily onto Vanessa's thigh attempting rather desperately to find some form of relief.

Charity was completely over her now, her weight mostly pressed into Vanessa's left side with her body more or less hovering directly above her. Charity's left hand was still against the mattress, her fingers digging into the sheets as she used it to leverage herself more into Vanessa's mouth, her thigh firmly pushed against Vanessa's heat as Vanessa's thigh was against hers.

Charity knew she was wet, more so than she thought she would be and now Vanessa knew it too as Charity continued to grind herself down against her thigh. Vanessa was into it though, so, _so_ into it and it only became more evident as time pressed on. She was responding in all the right ways, much more blatantly than Charity would've thought and as soon as Charity had rocked her hips against her the first time, Vanessa's left hand was hooked around Charity's hip and urging her on.

Vanessa flexed her fingers and it pulled Charity out of her trance. She licked at her lips, aware all of a sudden that they were dry and wanting quite urgently to put them to better use. Charity would be damned if for Vanessa's first time she wasn't going to show her exactly how much she could rock her world. She was going to make her come, _hard_ , multiple times and when Vanessa eventually walked out of here Charity was going to make sure she damn well had the best night of her life.

Charity pulled back, her skin leaving Vanessa's mouth with a pop and Vanessa almost whined at the loss until she was sated by the press of Charity's entire body as she lowered herself down, her lips immediately at Vanessa's neck as she sucked the skin hard, her teeth leaving faint marks before she moved them up, running her lips across the curve of Vanessa's jaw all the way to her ear where she bit and pulled at the lobe.

Vanessa couldn't handle the sensations and it felt like she was drowning. The dance of their bodies, the heavy, incessant pounding in her chest that thumped beneath her skin and all the way down to her toes was overwhelming. She didn't know where she felt it more; her core when Charity rolled against her with the pressure of her thigh in exactly the right place between her legs. Her chest as they moved together and she could feel the urgent press of Charity's hardened nipples against her skin or the hot trail of Charity's lips as they ravaged her throat. It was delirious and salacious all at once. She was burning up and whatever Charity wanted to do to her she was more than happy to allow.

Charity descended down Vanessa's chest with purpose, tracing her tongue over the curve of her breast before circling her nipple with the tip, teasing the erect flesh roughly before she engulfed it in the heat of her mouth, alternating between sucking gently, breathing over it hotly and nipping at the tip with her teeth.

It was making Vanessa shudder, her whole body reacting maddeningly to the feelings shooting along her spine, spiralling outwards and then back again like a tidal wave with nowhere to go. Vanessa moaned loudly as her right hand gripped the sheets at her side and her left lost itself in Charity's hair, clenching at the roots slightly whenever Charity used her teeth.

Charity quickly moved to the other nipple, lavishing just as much attention on it while her free hand came up to continue teasing the other. It was making Charity gasp and moan too, never one to be quiet during sex or to shy away from expressing what she wanted. The more Vanessa rolled her hips and arched her body fully into her own the more Charity was losing it, too. She wanted Vanessa to fall apart beneath her, she wanted to taste her arousal on her tongue and when Charity began to move lower still, kissing, licking and caressing her skin Vanessa growled out her name so needily that Charity felt everything she had left fall torturously between her legs.

Charity needed to move, though, because it was killing her, Vanessa's thigh pressing so heavily into her every time she rolled her hips. It was exquisite, and Charity had never wanted to come so much in her life except she couldn't, not yet. Not before Vanessa had at least once and certainly not before Vanessa had even touched her. She positioned herself fully between Vanessa's legs, pushing them apart that little bit wider as she moved lower. Vanessa shuffled herself up against the pillows with an expression on her face like she was barely keeping a grip on reality and if Charity's brain wasn't currently in several gutters, she would've stopped to acknowledge how beautiful she truly was in that moment.

Charity's right hand ran along the underside of Vanessa's left thigh, her index finger teasing a line from the top and down toward the back of her knee. Vanessa exhaled as her chest juddered, and Charity leaned her head down and turned to face Vanessa's right thigh to place a soft, open-mouthed kiss directly onto her skin.

Vanessa thought she might come right then, in all fairness, as she felt the fluttering in her chest start to grow bigger. She knew her mind was somewhere up by the ceiling and her body was losing touch with its senses. All she could feel were Charity's lips and her scandalous fingertips as they played havoc with her emotions but all she wanted was to feel Charity inside her. Fingers, tongue, she didn't care and she honestly wasn't above begging for it if Charity didn't take pity on her soon.

Charity edged her mouth closer but it still wasn't enough, her hand then hooking Vanessa's leg over her shoulder before she dug her nails into the underside of her thigh making Vanessa shout out, her upper body jumping off the mattress as her eyes shot open and she gazed down at the woman between her legs with the most wretched expression Charity had ever seen.

"Charity..." Vanessa heaved out almost painfully, her voice much more of an erratic, aching plea this time but the desperation in her eyes was unmistakable. "Please..." she implored as the furrow in her brow deepened and to say Charity liked it when she was pleaded with during sex was an understatement, but to hear it fall from Vanessa's lips in such a way made her own clit start to pulse.

Charity smirked devilishly and made Vanessa wait only a moment longer before she inhaled deeply and then dragged her tongue through thick, soaking wet heat from just above Vanessa's opening to the tip of her quivering clit.

Vanessa's head hit the pillows like a dead weight and this time both of her hands sunk deep into the sheets, grabbing them so hard between her fingers that it made her knuckles turn white. Her body tensed as once more her back arched, staying that way until Charity's tongue flicked against her clit, slowly at first and then relentlessly as Vanessa let out moan after moan of sheer delight.

The pounding in Vanessa's chest quickly dropped to beneath her abs, a yearning there that was building enormously, spreading through her groin and shooting down her legs. It was all encompassing, her body on fire and then Vanessa felt Charity's fingertips add to her heat and she simply couldn't contain it. It was almost too much, poised on the brink as she was as Charity's fingers swirled a little, circling her opening as her lips enclosed fully around her clit.

"Jesus Christ!" Charity heard Vanessa shout as she slowly pushed in two fingers although she didn't need to with how wet she was. There was no resistance and Vanessa was quick to clench around her, pulling her in deeper and Charity let out a heady groan against Vanessa's still throbbing clit.

The way she tasted was amazing, and Charity felt like she could spend an eternity teasing and exploring but the desire to see Vanessa come more than won out. She felt incredible around her fingers and Charity had long forgotten the pleasure it brought, to make another woman fall apart in this way. It was like nothing else and when Charity added a third finger, making Vanessa pant out something unintelligible, she sucked even harder on her clit and curled her fingers forwards, continuing a rhythm that she knew Vanessa couldn't ride out much longer.

Vanessa's mouth fell open as her whole body clenched, Charity's fingers trapped as they pushed into that soft spot that was about to make Vanessa crumble in all the right places.

"Oh my God, yes!" Vanessa screamed, her shoulders coming off the mattress a little and all of a sudden she reached down and grasped Charity's head, urging her up, needing to attach herself to something and not let go.

Charity levered herself up on her elbow letting Vanessa's leg fall from her shoulder as the other woman clung to her, a hand at the back of Charity's neck pulling her forward as fast as she could. She wrapped her other arm around Charity's shoulders and kissed her savagely as soon as she was within reach, her legs hooking immediately around Charity's hips.

Charity's tongue plunged into Vanessa's mouth, her fingers jolting forward a little with the movement and then she flicked her thumb across Vanessa's clit a few times, applying just the right amount of pressure to finally make Vanessa's body still and then she broke, hard and fast and completely as Vanessa pulled her lips away to suck in a lung full of air, her body shaking wildly as the sensations engulfed her tumultuously. Her moan was loud enough to fill the room and she kept on filling it as wave after wave of pleasure swept through her, her skin absolutely buzzing with sensation and she had never before in her life felt anything even remotely close to it.

Her chest continued to hammer and her hands weren't losing their tremor but her grip loosened a bit around Charity's shoulders, even if inside she refused to let go of her fingers. Her walls were still vibrating and her eyes remained closed as she tried rather fruitlessly, to calm down her breathing.

Charity was shaking a little too. Her eyes heavily lidded as she gazed down at the woman beneath her, her heart rattling her ribcage rapidly and her fingers still moving slightly, enjoying the warmth and softness too much to remove them just yet. It was to heighten Vanessa's experience, though, she told herself firmly, because being amazing in bed was something Charity prided herself on, after all. The stirring in her own chest wasn't something to be concerned with, because fantastic sex always did that, right?

After a good few minutes Vanessa opened her eyes and noticed that Charity's were closed, her lips slightly parted as she seemed to be focused on steadying her breathing. It was too intimate to be awkward, and Vanessa's mind was far too cloudy and sated to feel anything other than post-orgasmic bliss.

It helped that Charity's eyes were closed, though, as Vanessa wasn't sure what she'd find if she should open them. Vanessa's body though proved traitorous and twitched involuntarily causing Charity's peaceful expression to flicker, a little, Vanessa bringing her hand up to cup Charity's cheek for a reason she wasn't at all sure of.

Charity swallowed as she felt the touch and her eyes cracked open slowly, her gaze somewhere around Vanessa's chin before it darted up and then back down again. Charity could sense Vanessa was about to say something and so she started to remove her fingers, slowly and deliberately making Vanessa's words stick somewhere in her throat as another wave of pleasure rolled through her.

Vanessa hummed deeply as her hand fell from Charity's face, her eyes falling closed again as she bit down on her lower lip.

Charity looked her then, the euphoric expression steadily back on Vanessa's face and the power quickly back in Charity's hands. "Don't worry," she uttered and the depth in her tone was enough to make Vanessa hum again. The gratified smirk was back on Charity's lips and then she leaned in and nipped at the side of Vanessa's jaw, her fingers now free as they pressed into the skin around her hip. "I'm not finished with you yet," she whispered, as her mouth moved against Vanessa's ear, the words rumbling heavily passed her lips.

Vanessa exhaled as she collapsed fully into the mattress, Charity's lips returning to explore the column of her neck.

"That is," Charity grinned, the playfulness back in her tone full force. "If you can handle it?" She quirked a brow up and waited for Vanessa's response.

Vanessa couldn't resist the grin that tugged at her lips, too, and she chanced a glance at the woman hovering over her. "Oh I can more than handle it," she breathed.

The expression on Charity's face changed to one of a challenge that had just been accepted and a definitive glint appeared brightly in her eyes. She flicked an eyebrow up. "Well we'll see about that," she teased, and then she started to move down Vanessa's body once more.

* * *

Vanessa's head was spinning, delirious in more ways than one and if she hadn't of come three times already she'd probably be a lot more nervous but Charity was _needy_ , and by the way her body was taught and rocking heavily against her thigh Vanessa knew she was close to breaking.

They were facing each other, lying on their sides with their bodies more or less moulded together.

"What do you want?" Vanessa asked quietly as she leaned in and placed a kiss over Charity's collarbone. She heard the slight tremor in her voice and she really hoped Charity was too worked up to notice it as well.

Vanessa had to steel herself, a little. She wasn't a shy person, especially sexually but it _had_ been a long time and it was hard to shake the feeling that she would be a disappointment, particularly after what Charity had just done to her.

"Fingers?" she continued, trying for a decidedly more seductive and confident tone. She kissed Charity a little further along her collarbone. "Tongue?"

Charity had never been so turned on in her entire life. It was crazy, but it was far too late to do anything about it now. Making Vanessa come another twice wound her up tenfold and she was certain it would be a very long time before she forgot what it was like to make Vanessa came _hard_ in her mouth.

Charity chuckled as she sighed breathlessly, digging her fingertips into Vanessa's hip which made Vanessa tense the muscle in her thigh, pressing it more solidly against the juncture of Charity's legs. "Fingers are a good place to start, babe," she murmured in response, another shudder rippling through her and warming her chest.

Vanessa felt the vibration of Charity's words through her skin as she kissed the base of her throat, the grit in it making Vanessa's body twitch. She dropped her hand to Charity's thigh and grazed her fingertips along the skin causing Charity to sigh languidly as they started to inch upwards. She kissed her neck again in the dip above her collarbone as thanks to the night before Vanessa knew Charity had a weak spot there that made her chest hitch and shudder.

Vanessa sucked the skin harder as her fingers pushed into muscle, leaving a pale trail in their wake as they moved toward Charity's heat.

Charity actually hissed it felt so good and the throb between her legs was driving her insane. Her mind could only think about her pleasure and every inch of her just ached to be touched. She bit on her lip to stifle a groan but she couldn't suppress the gasp that Vanessa drew from her, when she released the skin from between her lips.

"Ness..." Charity husked as her hands gripped Vanessa a little tighter, her fingers really not moving as quickly as Charity needed them to.

Vanessa paused and looked at Charity's chest, her fingers idling in the 'v' at the top of her thigh. She was nervous about a whole lot of things and touching a woman intimately for the first time was only the tip of the iceberg, really. She couldn't dislodge the lump at the back of her throat and she felt the sudden need to voice what she was feeling.

She licked her lips quickly. "I've never-"

"Doesn't matter," Charity interrupted, knowing exactly what Vanessa was about to say. She glanced down at Vanessa with dark eyes and then gave her hip an encouraging squeeze. "It really isn't gonna take much, babe," she said with a breathy laugh, her throat however thick with desire as arousal clung to her every inch.

Vanessa smiled, a little, still gazing at the skin covering Charity's chest and when Charity's nails dug into her hip a moment later she did the thing she'd wanted to since the love seat last night, if she was honest. She moved her fingers across and ran them over Charity's clit.

If Vanessa had wanted to stop Charity would've been fine with that but she was so, _so_ glad she didn't. The pleasure rocketed through her like a thunderbolt and it seemed like everything just refused to stop shaking. Charity was _so_ wet and _so_ sensitive and Vanessa seemed to get the message by the way Charity pushed herself harder into the touch.

Charity's moan was measureless and she lost herself to the bombardment of sensation overwhelming her.

Vanessa continued the movement of her fingers, running them up and down the length of Charity's clit and then back and forth over it, revelling in how silky and soft she felt. How delicate and wet and responsive that the lump in Vanessa's throat simply got bigger and bigger by the second.

Vanessa shimmied down the bed so she could shower Charity's chest with heated kisses, wanting all of a sudden to taste her skin everywhere and make her feel as good as she possibly could.

Charity though was rapidly reaching her peak and honestly she was passed caring how quickly it was going to happen. All of the sensations ambushing her senses were everything Charity didn't know she had missed and _fuck_ , how she wanted to fall over the edge and come like she hadn't in God only knew how long.

She rocked her hips up trying to get Vanessa to move her fingers lower, grinding in a way that meant she needed more and Vanessa more than took the hint. She lowered the tips of her fingers to the source of Charity's heat and the groan Charity let out was thunderous, Vanessa closing her lips around a nipple as she pushed two fingers deep inside her.

Vanessa's mind was gone. She had never felt something so soft and warm in her life and she knew she'd never get tired of wanting to feel it again. Charity felt utterly amazing and Vanessa could tell she was close so she moved her fingers again but all of a sudden Charity clasped a hand around Vanessa's upper arm, making her stop her movements abruptly.

Charity breathed, her entire body pulsing as Vanessa moved inside her. It was so good Charity's heart pumped wildly, her blood boiling as it raced beneath her skin. She bit on her lip as her whole being thrummed, her head tilting down but her eyes staying closed as she gripped at Vanessa's arm, needing to regain some form of control but after a moment she tugged the arm closer, praying that Vanessa would get the hint to continue.

She did and so Vanessa restarted her rhythm, gentle for a moment but then more fiercely as Charity's moans got louder. Vanessa added a third finger which made Charity's hand slide up to Vanessa's shoulder, engaging it in such a death grip as her head tipped back and her body began to tense.

Vanessa felt Charity's walls tighten around her so she doubled her efforts, her fingertips rubbing against her front wall fervently making Charity shout out, her body going still for a moment or two before Vanessa felt even more wetness coat her hand and then Charity's entire being rocked viscerally.

Charity's heart thrashed her chest endlessly and she could feel its beat in the back of her throat. She felt electrified and her body purred with the pleasure of someone who hadn't had sex like that in an absolute age. Every part of her was warm and fuzzy and she dragged air into her lungs raggedly as she tried to control her chest.

Her head was still tipped back and she opened her eyes a sliver, the grin unabashedly spread across her face seeing as how there was no way Vanessa could see it. Her grip had softened on Vanessa's shoulder and Charity could tell the smaller woman was still curled in slightly to her chest, her breath panting out against her breastbone. It was a good few minutes before Vanessa started to remove her fingers and the sensation caused Charity's eyes to drift closed once more.

Vanessa was exhausted, her body still tingling from the exertion and the pleasure of what she'd just done to Charity. Her heart though had dulled to a firm but heavy thud, much slower than before but still causing a shudder each time it struck. When she felt Charity loosen around her fingers she withdrew them slowly, a faint hum emanating from the taller woman who then rolled over fully onto her back, heaving in a very satisfied and content breath as she did.

Vanessa watched her for a minute as Charity angled her head away, her eyes remaining closed the entire time and then Vanessa did the same, mirroring Charity's position on her side of the bed. Vanessa lay back and just breathed, both attempting to process and not process at the same time. She folded her hands neatly over her stomach and couldn't stop the flashbacks that started to rattle through her mind. Powerful didn't even begin to describe it.

* * *

Vanessa had no idea how long they lay there for but eventually the idea of tomorrow hit her and all of a sudden Vanessa's eyes shot open and her mouth dropped open, a bit.

She'd slept with Charity Dingle. _Charity_. The woman she'd come over to talk to about keeping quiet about last night. To spare her blushes over a drunken kiss and any questions about her sexuality it might bring.

So now what?

Vanessa turned her head to the side and glared at Charity who was for all intents and purposes, more or less rolled over onto her other side. She was peaceful, though, and her breathing had returned to a gentle rise and fall of her chest so it was easy for Vanessa to assume she had fallen asleep. Fallen asleep as if she _hadn't_ just caused Vanessa a huge crisis of sexuality in the space of twenty-four hours or like she hadn't just completely turned her world on its head via some rather mind-blowing sex.

Vanessa's head lulled back to the centre of the pillow so she once again gazed up at the ceiling feeling if she was honest, a little on the brink of panic as her chest suddenly quickened its breathing but this time it didn't feel good at all. She swallowed heavily and then sat bolt upright in bed, the need to do _something_ scratching at her skin.

"Should I go?" Vanessa asked hurriedly but quietly, suddenly awkward and anxious all at once.

Charity wasn't asleep and she could hear the anxiety in Vanessa's voice loud and clear and all of a sudden it dominated the room. About what though exactly she couldn't really place. It was just sex, after all, right? However great it was.

Charity sighed but it was quiet, something in her knowing that sarcastic comments weren't the way to go this time. She wondered briefly why she should care but then she knew the answer to that, really, and in that moment she wasn't about to let Vanessa feel any shame.

Or maybe she was just too tired to be amusing.

"Why?" Charity mumbled as she rolled her head in Vanessa's direction, her eyes still closed though as she made a show of getting more comfy against her pillows. "It'll be cold out there. It's warm in here."

Vanessa cast a look over her shoulder and down at her bed mate and worried about how she could be so unaffected. It was singlehandedly the best experience of Vanessa's life and Charity was acting like it carried no weight at all. Luckily though, Vanessa's brain was still a little delirious about the whole thing and she couldn't help but smile a touch at the woman who had just rocked her world. She looked contented, actually, as she lay there with her eyes closed, her breathing soft and Vanessa wondered albeit fleetingly, how many other one night stands Charity hadn't immediately kicked out of her bed.

Vanessa chewed on her bottom lip as her chest felt warm again but then she quickly turned her head away before she fell down that particular rabbit hole, because _that_ way of thinking wasn't going to get her anywhere at all.

 _It's Charity_ , Vanessa thought to herself. _Take it for what it was_ and then she was back to worrying whether she should leave or not.

At the lack of any response Charity cracked open an eye to find Vanessa's naked back staring at her, Vanessa's hair all sex-messy as it hung loosely across her shoulders and down the smooth expanse of her back. Charity now knew the sounds Vanessa made when it arched beneath her and she knew what that pale, flawless skin tasted like-

"But..." Vanessa started, the indecision still there and Charity quickly cleared her mind and exhaled a small breath.

"-Look just, come 'ere," Charity cut in. "If you want," she added in a hurry, feigning irritation as she furrowed her brow and turned on her side toward Vanessa, still keeping the space between them, however. "And bring the duvet with you, yeah?" she instructed, thinking that if Vanessa was going to stay she may as well make herself useful. Charity hated being cold during the night.

Vanessa glanced at her again and then reached down to the duvet that was folded back on itself at the foot of the bed, shuffling back with the top of it clenched in her hand. She didn't really know what to do, if she was honest, but she wanted to stay more than she wanted to go even if it was just to prolong the light stirring that was still going on inside her. Plus it had been a _really_ long time since she'd fallen asleep next to a naked, warm body.

Charity felt Vanessa begin to lower herself down as the mattress dipped beside her and she reached out blindly to grab at the duvet before she pulled it up under her arm. She was absolutely exhausted but strangely felt kind of content and actually a little proud of how the evening had gone. It was odd but there was a weird stirring in her chest that she really didn't want to think about.

"Don't forget the light, babe," Charity added and then she heard Vanessa sigh, a slight ruffling of the sheets and then the 'click' of the light as it went off.

Vanessa settled onto her back and if it was awkward she didn't really feel it. Confusion was more the emotion that dominated her mind. She closed her eyes and pushed out a long breath, trying not to focus on what the hell had just happened as she knew there would be plenty of time for that tomorrow. All she wanted to do was drift off to sleep and if anything think about how good Charity had made her feel because right then, all she needed was that contentment again.

As if Charity knew of the barely held at bay turmoil threatening to keep Vanessa awake all night, she stirred a little as a noise came from her throat that sounded like she was pretty much asleep already but then Vanessa felt her move closer. Close enough that Vanessa could feel Charity's breath against the curve of her shoulder and then her hand as it swept across her stomach beneath the duvet, coming to rest just over her hip. Her fingers squeezed around the bone a little before they went slack and lay still.

Vanessa was surprised to say the least but then of course it wasn't the first surprising thing to happen that night. She spent a moment or so staring at the curve of Charity's cheek, the only part of her visible in the outside light from the window and by all accounts Charity was now out for the count. Vanessa sighed again as she smiled a little, snuggling down as her eyes closed and her head lulled in Charity's direction, her hand moving beneath the duvet to rest just over Charity's forearm.

If nothing else Vanessa supposed she had learned that Charity Dingle was a cuddler and that above anything else strangely enough, made her feel more relaxed than it should have but for one night at least, Vanessa was prepared to take it.


End file.
